Supernatural Power of a Renewed Mind - Bill Johnson of www.iBethel.org

Disk 5 of 8 - Heavenly Mindedness - the supernatural lifestyle is the normal christian life. The key, or access point, with any regularity, is the Renewed Mind. The will of God is something He wants desperately to be manifested, tasted of, experienced by every person on this planet. The will of God is perfectly demonstrated in heaven. Thy will be done on earth as it is in heaven. Romans 12:2 don't be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind, so that you might prove what the will of God is. The renewed mind is the tool, place that God flows thru, to manifest His will. I love this life on earth, but our hearts long for something more and it's in another world. People's real longing is for God. You and I have the responsibility and privilege to bring that reality, revelation, demonstration, into people's view, so that they can see, that's what I've been wanting, longing for. We're to model that divine life, by destroying the works of the devil. Sickness, torment on the mind, shame; when I live in shame I'm empowering the enemy to steal and plunder; often done out of ignorance (My people perish for a lack of knowledge). Revelation truth is critical; God releases to us a spirit of wisdom and revelation. When it comes, you have to wrap your faith around it (releasing the nutrients into your system). If it's not, it will dissapate like a vapor. It comes to transform. We don't study to teach (or just to give to someone else), but to be transformed. When I talk of my experience, it will touch others. It should not be a theory, but an experience.

colossians 3:1 Since you have been raised to new life with Christ, set your sights on the realities of heaven, where Christ sits at God's right hand in the place of honor and power. 2 Let heaven fill your thoughts. Do not think only about things down here on earth. Be so heavenly minded that we are of earthly good. Bring the reality of His dominion to earth. Heaven is to be manifest around me on earth.
Romans 6:3 Or have you forgotten that when we became Christians and were baptized to become one with Christ Jesus, we died with him? 4 For we died and were buried with Christ by baptism. And just as Christ was raised from the dead by the glorious power of the Father, now we also may live new lives. 5 Since we have been united with him in his death, we will also be raised as he was. 6 Our old sinful selves were crucified with Christ so that sin might lose its power in our lives. We are no longer slaves to sin. 7 For when we died with Christ we were set free from the power of sin. 8 And since we died with Christ, we know we will also share his new life. 9 We are sure of this because Christ rose from the dead, and he will never die again. Death no longer has any power over him. 10 He died once to defeat sin, and now he lives for the glory of God. 
Picture of water baptism - put into a grave, and come up into resurrection life (picture of our conversion). 
The effect of Christ's death: 1) Shedding of blood wiped out the record of sin - most don't live under the influence of this truth - if the power of sin is wiped out, it's equally true my old man of sin is currently dead. Don't tolerate as normal what is abnormal. I'm free from the record of sin. I have a new nature; it's not imprisoned. (Bill gives examples of cancer healed in their church; after receiving to prayer [3 times; Fri,Sat,Sunday]; man's tumors disappeared - that's the will of God; renewing of the mind: it's not mind-over-matter thing, not self-disciplined, but yieldedness, surrender, revelation to what God is saying in His Word, where we become vessels to release and demonstrate the will of God. Many find it difficult, on any kind of regular basis, to demonstrate the will of God in this manner, because we don't think of ourselves as truly forgiven. Yes, forgiven in that I'm going to heaven, but still hanging onto the shame - empowering the enemy by believing that the difficulties in their life are there because they deserve them. That kind of thinking is a signal to the demonic (II Cor. 10 taking thoughts captive). The enemy is empowered by our agreement. And people who think they deserve certain difficulties in life attract the enemy, because of the deception, and empowered by our agreement. One of the greatest revelations we need is to know who God has made us to be. Many erroneously resist this because they don't want to go into pride. Thinking about you all the time, how rotten you are, is a subtle kind of pride. Don't be moaning and groaning about how unworthy you are - of course you are not worthy, get over it and enjoy the Christian life. It's unnecessary; it's not humility, it's stupidity. God is not honored by denying what He has done for me. Jesus became a curse so that I wouldn't have to bear it. Jesus took what I deserved, so I could get what He deserved. It's not humility to receive what I deserve. It is a denial of the suffering He went thru so that I could be free. What parent in this room delights in seeing their children suffer? Yet we put that on the Father constantly. The provision of Christ on the cross was complete (He became sin, for all, past, present and future). He died from the weight of sin (not from the cross). When I walk in shame, under the tragedy of yesterday (He's not mad at me; I just wasted my time; mismanaged of our trust), I'm not in humility, but wasting what He has done for me by taking the low way (self-pity). When I wallow in shame, I'm not what I could be; I could be helping someone else (and we should be; it's our calling). When I'm imprisoned in shame, it's a domino (or ripple) effect, someone else is not going to get the revelation I could have been demonstrating before them, if I'm walking in false humility (denying what God has made available to me).

Romans 6:11 So you should consider yourselves dead to sin and able to live for the glory of God through Christ Jesus. Add up all the numbers and come to a conclusion. Adding up all the parts, I'm dead to sin, I either believe His payment was sufficient, or I don't. Therefore I'm dead to sin - I either beieve or I don't. In every place where there is question (doubt or unbelief) in my heart on the provision of His work, in my place, I will suffer there. Consider yourself dead to sin - I'm dead. This seems like a theory, but it's a practical truth. The renewed mind begins with what He did for me. Live with the overwhelming conciousness of being free from sin. First thought in the morning: God morning Lord, your mercy is brand new today. The mercy of the Lord is new every morning. Because of this guilt/shame stuff, we drag stuff from 10/20 years, days ago and drag it into the new day, forgetting His mercy. I've canceled out about 90% of the potential of that day. Instead of triumph and displaying the will of God, I've now reduced my day to surviving; maybe accomplishing one or two things positively. I've boiled down a day that was designed for triumph and displaying the will of God, the reality of my King and His kingdom, into a day of survival; if I can just get thru the day without being depressed, discouraged. Why? I WAS CRUCIFIED WITH CHRIST. Buried, and RAISED UP WITH HIM in HIS RESSURECTION, therefore, reckon (absolute calculation). (Someone asked Bill to pray for them - I'm really getting attacked by the enemy, since I became a worship leader; on the front lines. What kind of army is it that gives less protect to it's Generals than it's Privates? That is a deception - this idea that if you push into news things, you're more vulnerable to assualt. Again, you empower the enemy when you agree with them. Can't it also be true that God increases my protection, grace, angels? Who wants to grow if we just become a bigger bullseye. It's one thing to be out of the red, but it's another to be in the black. The renewed mind is to get us out of the red, where we've been agreeing with the enemy, to work in the sanctified mind, in realms of creativity and demonstration of power, manifesting His will.

John 3:12 if I have spoken to you of earthly things and you do not believe; how then will you believe if I speak of heavenly things? 
John 3:3 In reply Jesus declared, "I tell you the truth, no one can see the kingdom of God unless he is born again." 4 "How can a man be born when he is old?" Nicodemus asked. "Surely he cannot enter a second time into his mother's womb to be born!" 5 Jesus answered, "I tell you the truth, no one can enter the kingdom of God unless he is born of water and the Spirit. 6 Flesh gives birth to flesh, but the Spirit gives birth to spirit. 7 You should not be surprised at my saying, 'You must be born again.' 8 The wind blows wherever it pleases. You hear its sound, but you cannot tell where it comes from or where it is going. So it is with everyone born of the Spirit." 9 "How can this be?" Nicodemus asked. 10 "You are Israel's teacher," said Jesus, "and do you not understand these things? 11 I tell you the truth, we speak of what we know, and we testify to what we have seen, but still you people do not accept our testimony. 12 I have spoken to you of earthly things and you do not believe; how then will you believe if I speak of heavenly things?
Jesus was illustrating truth thru natural things, or using natural elements to illustrate spiritual truth. Natural human birth was a prophetic picture of what conversion looks like. The wind represents the Spirit. His concern (vs 12) is that we don't believe, when using the natural things we know, how can we learn about spiritual things, for which there is no earthly model. His intent is to teach us greater spiritual things, of which we have no earthly examples. His parables used natural elements to illustrate spiritual truths. If I can teach you that (using natural things) and you're not getting it, how can I teach you spiritual things?  Mt. 16:19 I will give you the keys of the kingdom of heaven; whatever you bind on earth will be bound in heaven, and whatever you loose on earth will be loosed in heaven." (backbone of our commission) We bind here what's bound there, and loose here what's loose there. We need to loose here, what has no earthly model; it's only found in the reality of heaven. The church has progressed in the natural models of planting and sowing of seed, outpouring of the Spirit, rain, etc. It's the heart of God to start releasing truth to people, backed by the Word, the things that are found in heaven only, that have no model or shadow on earth. (NLT John 3:12 But if you don't even believe me when I tell you about things that happen here on earth, how can you possibly believe if I tell you what is going on in heaven?) Why? A part of the commission is yes, I bind here, and command to leave, but we need to learn more about loosing (requires higher level of revelation; risk involved) of which there is no earthly model. Of the increases of His realm, there will be no end. The kingdoms of this world, will become the kingdoms of His Christ. God could do it on his own, but He has chosen delegated people, who love Him out of choice, who embrace the Great Commission (out of intimacy with God destroy the works of the devil), to learn how to loose. We bind here what's not free to operate there. Then replace with something good (loose with the opposite, godly spirit, revelation). What's the negative, what's the positive (counterpoint). Don't be distracted by the natural. All I do is unto Christ (even natural things). Anything I cannot do unto Him, I cannot do at all (forbidden). Write the vision down ... those who read it can run. Am I feeding my soul so that running is my only option? Go after the things of God. Renewed mind fights for opportunity of expression. Faith will not stand still; pursues ways to be expressed. No shame to the heavenlies. Jesus was the prototype of the New Testament believer (Eph 3) Believers are seated in heavenly places. Jesus is stuck talking about natural things, and you're having a hard time with it, and I want to do is tell you about spiritual things, so you can allow that reality to shape the world around you. But you can't handle that yet; and He says to them John 3:No one has ascended into heaven except the one who descended from heaven, the Son of Man (or more clearly in the KJV 13 And no man hath ascended up to heaven, but he that came down from heaven, even the Son of man which is in heaven). Son of Man in heaven? while standing right in front of them. One of the many head-scratchers for the apostles. I can see you, what do you mean you're in heaven? Normal Christian life is living from heaven. I am a citizen of heaven - not going to be, I am; I'm seated in heavenly places in Christ, I'm not going to be, I am. The normal Christian life is just that. The renewed mind begins to wrap itself around that, to begin to live from the victory of Christ, beginning with my own sin, own stuff, but NOT STOPPING THERE. The goal is not to live one day without shame, but to bring the reality of the will of God into force, a tangible expression in the world around me. God has put me places where I get to confront cancer, diseases, torment on people's lives, addictions. I'm a citizen of heaven, planted on this earth, to minister from who I am, because of who He is, towards whatever it is ailing man. That is why God has put such power in the Word. The Spirit of God in His Word comes to transform. It will only work as I wrap faith around it. This is a priceless key. What happens when I stop thinking I'm going to be under a certain amount of pressure and assault because of my position. What happens when I stop playing on defense and get on offense? Survival is not my goal. Victory, overcoming is what I live for; shifts must take place in people's minds. Don't start your day in the hole; His mercies begin new each day. It's not a psyche yourself up thing; run well by eating running food. Your diet is completely under your control. I will produce whatever I feed myself with (it's not complicated). Read, study, pray, pray, pray. Get the right food within you. Prayer: Father we're in great, great need, grant us a revelation of who you are and who we are; how free we actually are. Please grant us revelation of what it means to be seated with Christ in heaven. Amen.

Highlights:
Many find it difficult, on any kind of regular basis, to demonstrate the will of God in this manner (miracles), because we don't think of ourselves as truly forgiven. Yes, forgiven in that I'm going to heaven, but still hanging onto the shame - empowering the enemy by believing (deception) that the difficulties in their life are there because they deserve them.
II Cor. 10 taking thoughts captive - place of warfare, because the enemy is empowered by our agreement.
Jesus took what I deserved, so I could get what He deserved. It's not humility to receive what I deserve. God is not honored by denying what He has done for me. Jesus became a curse so that I wouldn't have to bear it. Jesus took what I deserved, so I could get what He deserved. It's not humility to receive what I deserve. It is a denial of the suffering He went thru so that I could be free. What parent in this room delights in seeing their children suffer? Yet we put that on the Father constantly.
The renewed mind begins with what He did for me (Romans 6:11).
First thought in the morning: The mercy of the Lord is new every morning. Good morning Lord, your mercy is brand new today.
That is a deception - this idea that if you push into news things, you're more vulnerable to assualt. What kind of army is it that gives less protection to it's Generals than it's Privates?. Can't it also be true that God increases my protection, grace, angels? Who wants to grow if we just become a bigger bullseye.
We need to loose here, what has no earthly model (spiritual things); it's only found in the reality of heaven.
Jesus was the prototype of the New Testament believer.
I'm a citizen of heaven, planted on this earth, to minister from who I am, because of who He is, towards whatever it is ailing man.
That is why God has put such power in the Word. The Spirit of God in His Word comes to transform (the Word is spirit and life).